Italy - Factors to watch on July 18

Reuters has not verified the newspaper reports, and cannot vouch for their accuracy. New items are marked with (*).

For a complete list of diary events in Italy please click on .

POLITICS

A woman and a boy adrift in the Mediterranean died just hours before help reached their damaged dinghy, Spanish rescuers said on Tuesday after finding a second woman alive in the vessel, which had been carrying migrants towards Europe.

Italy’s anti-establishment coalition government is likely to delay a planned reform of the country’s mutual banks through a decree it will approve next week, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

RAI WAY

The state-controlled TV masts group said on Tuesday consolidation in the industry “made sense” and any merger project would have to involve the company’s assets.

RAI WAY, EI TOWERS, MEDIASET

Italy’s biggest commercial broadcaster, Mediaset, has joined forces with infrastructure fund F2i to launch a takeover bid for masts group EI Towers, in a move widely expected to spur further consolidation in the sector. (*) Mediaset could reap 200 million euros from the takeover on EI Towers, several newspapers said.

(*) BANCA CARIGE

The shareholders are divided over the future strategy of the lender, Il Sole 24 Ore said, adding Vittorio Malacalza has doubts over rushing to a merger with a rival or selling assets. Raffaele Mincione and Gabriele Volpi, instead, are more keen on a tie-up.

(*) BANCO BPM

The bank will likely draw a short list of two or three suitors for its bad loans by August 3, Il Sole 24 Ore said citing Radiocor newswire.

The bank will finalise the sale of 9.5 billion euros in bad loans by November, Il Messaggero said.

(*) SNAM

Italy will press on with the construction of the final part of the Tap gas pipeline even if it would closely monitor environment aspects of the project, Italy’s Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi was quoted as saying by Il Sole 24 and La Stampa ahead of an official trip to Azerbaijan. The newspapers added that Rome could be forced to pay a penalty of more than 8 billion euros if it blocks the project.

SAFILO GROUP

Debt rating agency Moody’s cut its ratings on Italy’s Safilo on Tuesday, saying there were risks that the eyewear group could fail to refinance its debt.

SAIPEM

The oil services group said on Tuesday it had renewed its debt issuance programme for one year keeping the maximum amount of 3 billion euros unchanged.

STEFANEL

The clothing retailer said on Tuesday that CEO Cristiano Portas had stepped down as announced and would take a severance pay of 170,000 euros.

ENEL

The Italian utility said on Tuesday it had appointed Maurizio Bezzeccheri as new head of South America, replacing Luca D’Agnese who would be leaving the group for personal reasons at the end of the month.

LEONARDO

Belgium is being offered a possible role in future European combat jet developments if it picks the Eurofighter Typhoon over the U.S.-built F-35, in a fierce contest to rearm the country’s air force, a senior official with Britain’s BAE Systems said.

FIAT CHRYSLER

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will meet President Donald Trump in Washington next week to explore the possibility of starting negotiations on reducing car tariffs for several key trade partners, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday citing two people with knowledge of the plans.